


Genius Adventures 1: The Wormhole Generator

by Illusinia



Series: More Than She Seems [3]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel (Movies), Thor (2011)
Genre: Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-29
Updated: 2012-04-29
Packaged: 2017-11-04 13:20:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/394330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Illusinia/pseuds/Illusinia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Darcy Lewis is just a normal intern with an average IQ and no clue what's going on around her. Right?</p><p>Tony Stark gets a rather big shock and Fury receives a warning.</p><p>Warning: mild cursing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Genius Adventures 1: The Wormhole Generator

**Author's Note:**

> So this is just a quick thing that I whipped up. It was floating around in my head and I wanted to bring it to fruition. Its the first in the series of shorts and chapter stories that make up the 'more than she seems' series.
> 
> Also, I obviously don't own Thor or any of the associated characters from the movie, comics, or any other source of media where they can be found.
> 
> \- Illusinia

**So this is just a quick thing that I whipped up. It was floating around in my head and I wanted to bring it to fruition. I may use this as a starting point for one of two stories I have in mind related to Thor, but that decision isn't made yet. Let me know if anyone thinks I should use this as a start, continue this as its own story, or just leave it as is.**

**Also, I obviously don't own Thor or any of the associated characters from the movie, comics, or any other source of media where they can be found.**

**\- Illusinia**

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Desert wastelands surrounded the huge metal pillar jutting from the earth, it’s exterior glinting harshly beneath the New Mexico sun. It stood completely surrounded by generators, loads of computers, and a barrage of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents all scurrying in the midst of its shadow. Darcy took in all of this with a well-guarded silence. Tony Stark was running around almost madly, shouting orders left and right at various individuals who were operating said machinery; Jane was checking and rechecking calculations to make sure everything was aimed in the right direction; and she simply stood there, keeping out of the way and watching as the organized chaos continued. At the base of the device, a countdown clock indicated how long the group had before they were set to open what they hoped was a portal to Asgard.

 

Twelve minutes.

 

The red numbers flashed across the screen as the countdown continued.

 

Eleven…Ten...Nine...as the numbers became smaller, the chaos simultaneously increased and decreased. People were pushed from the area, but the frantic checking for any problems increased almost tenfold, with Jane joining Stark in the shouting of orders. Several agents ran passed Darcy, ignoring her presence completely. Not that she was surprised; if she didn't want to stand out, she didn't. Simple as that.

 

 _I should have been a spy. Hiding in plain sight is so easy._ Darcy's inner musings were interrupted by the sound of Stark shouting loudly.

 

Thirty seconds.

 

Jane stood just to the right of the controls for their worm-hole bridge. Stark was pressing buttons and making final minor adjustments as the machinery came online. The tip of the pillar began to glow white as electricity infused itself within the coils, glowing brighter than the glinting sun above. The final push of people from ground-zero, as the agents were calling it, came and, as before, everyone ignored Darcy where she stood beside a computer as big as her. In the end, only her, Jane, and Stark were left on site.

 

Stark continued to feed power to his creation, Jane holding her breath beside him. As the coils above began to pulse, Stark pressed a large red button (it was a cliché for a reason) and the glowing coils became a glowing pillar of pure power. Computers began to beep and whine as the tower pulsed but held together. Readings flashed across the machine beside Darcy and she could see the moment that someone stepped into the stream of light.

 

That's when things began to go wrong.

 

She could practically _feel_ Thor as he flew through the home-made monstrosity. Energy cracked and shot about the pillar, making her hair stand on end. But there was something else too. Instability. Though the connection had been made, the worm-hole was beginning to pull itself apart. With Thor inside. The computers began to beep loudly.

 

“Shit,” muttered Darcy, eyes wide as she watched fissures open in the column. Big fissures. _It's losing energy. The structure isn't stable._

 

Despite popular belief, Darcy was far from an idiot. Yes, she spaced out. Big time. But she'd been tested. Just short of super-genius. That's what every psychologist had ever said. IQ 175. And her specialty was power and technology.

 

“It needs more power,” muttered Darcy, eyes jumping to the power generation system Stark had set up and then back at the tunnel, making mental calculations. She _knew_ how fast Thor was falling in theory; it was calculable using a combination of theoretical physics and basic knowledge of how this tunnel was supposed to work. She also knew when the tunnel was supposed to generate enough counter force to slow him down. How far could a god free-fall without sustaining serious damage? On the scale of 'ouch' to 'life-threatening'?

 

Damn it, they were just going to have to find out.

 

Restraining herself, Darcy waited until the destabilization became too much to ignore. Too dangerous for everyone around. Too dangerous for Thor. _Damn, I really hope Thor wasn't lying about the immortality thing._

 

Without a second though, Darcy dodged from her hiding place towards the controls for the power supply. Stark and Jane were too engrossed in monitoring the panel before them to pay her any mind. How they didn't see that the whole thing was coming apart, Darcy had no clue. She couldn't care less though.

 

Reaching the power panel, she quickly made a few adjustments to the readouts before pushing the switch feeding power to the worm-hole to its maximum point. An additional burst of energy shot from the pillar and Stark spun towards her.

 

“What the hell are you doing?!?” he shouted in alarm. “You're gonna blow the entire power supply!”

 

“It'll hold for 10.2 seconds!” shouted back Darcy as she glanced towards him once before turning her attention back to the pillar. What she hadn't mentioned was that Thor still had twenty-five more seconds before he reached the ground. _He'll be about 50 feet off the ground. Hopefully he can survive that._

 

In front of her, the panel began to whine and spark, but Darcy didn't let off the power. Even when Stark started sprinting towards her.

 

_3.2 seconds until instability._

 

Stark was getting closer. Thankfully the SHIELD agents had been forced to retreat from the area, though some of them were working to get back through the gate. It was locked down though, for safety reasons. Between the jumping lines of energy, Darcy could just make out Thor as he entered the troposphere. _Please let me have not miscalculated._

 

He was moving fast. Faster than she'd though. Glancing at the panel, Darcy watched the power readouts and punched a few buttons to shift the strain away from the primary generators to the secondary ones. He needed to slow down before he struck the ground. The secondary generators weren't as powerful, and the portal would start to break apart again, but it would give him seven extra seconds. Her last calculations came just as Stark reached her, pulling her away from the panel. However, he froze when he saw what she had done and shot Darcy a look of disbelief.

 

“We have 5.7 seconds before the whole power system runs the risk of exploding,” she explained as calmly as she could. Her mind was racing through everything, looking for additional ways to keep the portal open longer. “Thor is still 15 seconds from the ground and he's moving too fast. If he hits, god or not, he's probably dead. We need to slow him down.”

 

Stark looked at the system and cursed before releasing Darcy. “Well, you're apparently smarter than I've been giving you credit for. Any thoughts?”

 

Darcy nodded and moved to hit a few buttons on the panel, showing the diagnostic layout for the power within the pillar. “If we shut down one of these coils, the power switches to jumping between the ones which are still active, correct?” Stark looked startled but nodded. “Alright then if we cut the power from two of these coils, we can shift all of the power so its running between just two, creating a bridge instead of a circle. It will take some strain from the power system and we can reduce the amount of power we're running. What do you have catching Thor?”

 

“A really big bean bag,” replied Stark with a grin.

 

She cocked an eyebrow at him in an 'are you serious' gesture, to which he grinned wider.

 

Rolling her eyes, Darcy went back to focusing on the power system, setting up the panel for the adjustments she was about to make. “Okay, the tunnel is gonna flicker for a moment, then reactivate.” She glanced at the system readout. If they didn't cut back on the power in three seconds, the system would need to be shut down. Without a second though, she hit a button and watched the system make the power adjustments. As predicted the worm-hole flickered out of existence for a moment as the whole thing became unstable then reformed. Jane jumped and looked to Stark, not noticing Darcy who was too focused on the controls to care even if she was caught.

 

The power system was still straining under the tunnels demand and would have to be shut down completely in five seconds, regardless of what Darcy did. _At least he'll be closer to the ground. 20 feet is survivable if he doesn't land on his head._

 

A brief image of Thor landing on his head and simply rolling over made Darcy smile. However, a complaint from the power panel had her cursing as she reached for the power lever again.

 

3 seconds until complete melt down....2....1....

 

Darcy cut the power completely thirty seconds before a meltdown could occur, watching as the portal flickered out of existence and leaving the God of Thunder hurtling towards the ground without any support.

 

Thor let out a loud shout as he disappeared into the metal tower, a shout that was cut off by him landing hard on the cushion inside the pillar. From the looks of it, on his stomach. Darcy and Stark both winced as Jane went scrambling towards the pillar.

 

Darcy started to follow but was interrupted by a hand catching her elbow.

 

“Hey,” stated Stark firmly. “Good job kid. I don't know how you knew to do that, but you did a good thing.”

 

A nod was Darcy's response. Then she was running towards the pillar like Jane. Running to see if Thor had survived. Judging from the groan of pain, he had.

 

Unknown to Darcy, a single eye followed her movements from the power console towards the pillar, a smirk playing on the man's lips.

 

\-----------------------

 

“You knew she could do that, didn't you?” accused Stark mildly as he approached Fury from behind.

 

Fury just smiled. “The girl is five IQ points from super-genius status, with a specialty in technology. I sent her to help you and Dr. Foster because I wanted her to know the system.”

 

Stark raised an eyebrow. “So why not have her actually help us?”

 

“Simple,” replied Fury as he watched Jane and Darcy help the winded god from their wormhole generator, “she doesn't _want_ anyone to know how smart she is. It's _easier_ if everyone just thinks she's an idiot, and it gives her an advantage. No one ever feels threatened by the stupid ones.”

 

“So, it's all an act?” confirmed Stark in disbelief as he, too, watched Darcy and Jane stumble with the tower of muscle they had all plucked from Asgard.

 

Fury nodded. “Continuing to allow everyone to think Miss Lewis is not the brightest individual is prudent. She has an... extensive understanding of technology, especially power systems and computers, and her work with Dr. Foster has increased her understanding of astrophysics.” At Stark's look of disbelief, Fury just nodded. “Yes, she understands exactly what Drs. Foster and Selvig are talking about.” Stark snorted, but Fury ignored him. “That combination of knowledge makes Miss Lewis one of the more valuable assets we have right now, along with yourself, Dr. Foster, and Dr. Selvig. I don't want this information getting out. Understood?”

 

Stark sighed. “What do you plan to use her for, if she's so valuable?”

 

“For now, I will continue to have her at events such as this one,” replied Fury. “Beyond that, well, that is none of your concern Mr. Stark.”

 

“Just do me one favor Fury,” growled Stark mildly as he turned towards the gathering group. “I'll keep her secret, but don't just use her like some tool in your workshop. She's a smart kid, even if she doesn't act like she is. I doubt manipulation works well against her and she'd probably turn around and blow your plans sky high if you mess up. So for all our sakes, don't piss her off.”

 

Fury watched silently as the rather infuriating genius wondered towards where a crowd was gathering around Thor. His eye slid towards the center of the crowd where Dr. Foster was hugging the retrieved Thor enthusiastically. She looked ready to drag him off someplace quite. Poor woman.

 

His sight then slid towards Darcy, and what he saw made him freeze. She was looking right at him with knowing eyes. Eyes that told him she knew exactly what he'd done, that he'd given her clearance to be present at ground-zero, and that he'd placed her there to fix any problems that arose. They also warned him not to try tricking her again. Her vision moved away from his, apparently satisfied with what she saw. Instead, a giant grin broke across her face and she complained loudly that Jane was hogging all the man meat, and to let someone else hug the poor god.

Perhaps he had underestimated the girl, just as everyone else did. After all, she was a genius.


End file.
